Olympic torch on Everest - Shh! - it's a secret

Capricorn One, starring folks like OJ Simpson was a 1978 movie about the government faking a landing on Mars.

The Chinese government has placed a lock-down on Everest until May 10.

Over at the BBC, Jonah Fisher is reporting from near the Tibetan-side basecamp of Everest.

His video journals tell a frustrating story of reporters huddled into make-shift shelters and being told to wait with nothing to do. Meanwhile they receive no information from the Chinese government. There is no word at all of progress of the Chinese team carrying the special torch.

Mountain climbers reporting in from basecamp on the Nepal-side, where nearly all Western climbers approach the summit, are telling stories of their own frustrations.

Early May is by far the most popular time to climb Everest due to a small weather window so Nepal stands to lose a lot of money in climber permits and related charges. It is unusual for cooperation between the two countries but it has been reported that China's Export-Import bank assured 121 million Euros in loans to Nepal just days before the closure.

Climbers report that they are banned from the upper mountain, they are experiencing daily gear searches, soldiers are everywhere and there are helicopters landing in base camp. Fighter jets are flying over the mountain frequently.

At times the climbers are being told to leave base camp and moments later they are told they can press on and set ropes at higher elevations. Sherpas are leaving in droves.
The situation is dangerous because the climbers, who have trained for years and paid huge sums of money, will be forced to shorten their normal acclimatization routines or abandon their climb. If they push on without proper acclimatization, it could be disaster.

After initially welcoming the gesture, the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Association) has requested that the Chinese NOT to carry their flag to the summit because of the closures.

The Chinese climbing team did a complete full dress rehearsal of the climb last year, with 86 crew members. It is thought that if something goes wrong, or the attempt is a failure, there will be plenty of glorious footage to replace the live footage this year.